Automatic washer and dryer system

ABSTRACT

The shift is a combination washer and dryer having functions that include automatically transferring of clean clothes from the washer to the dryer using a clothes ejection apparatus which pushes the clean clothes out and then deposits them into the opened dryer mouth. The dryer will then start automatically once its door is closed. Using a clothes moving apparatus, the present invention will push the dry clothing outside the front load door of the dryer, releasing the dry clothing into an attached basket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of combined washer and dryer devices in one unit typically referred to as a shift.

2. Description of the Related Art

A washing machine is a machine used to wash laundry, such as clothing and bed sheets. The term is mostly applied to machines that use water. Bendix Corporation introduced the first domestic automatic washing machine in 1937, having applied for a patent in the same year. In appearance and mechanical detail, this first machine was not unlike the front loading automatic washers produced today. Because of the components required, the machine was also very expensive.

Early automatic washing machines were usually connected to a water supply via temporary slip-on connectors to sink taps. Later, permanent connections to both the hot and cold water supplies became the norm, as dedicated laundry water hookups became common. Most modern front-loading European machines now only have a cold water connection (called “cold fill”) and rely completely on internal electric heaters to raise the water temperature.

A clothing dryer, tumble dryer, or drying machine is a powered household appliance that is used to remove moisture from a load of clothing and other textiles, usual shortly after they are washed in a washing machine. Everyone has to wash and dry cloths (Moms, Dads, athletes, senior citizens, college students, people on the go) all types of people. Unfortunately, washing and drying clothes is a time consuming process to put the laundry in the washer and when finished washing transfer it to the dryer. It is enough of a time consuming process that most families have a designated wash day. The complete wash and dry process can take up a considerable amount of time out of the day. After the clothes are dry they are then put in a clothes basket to be folded. A need exists for a laundry process that reduces labor and time.

Various attempts have been made to solve the problems which may be found in the related art but have thus far been unsuccessful. A need exists for a reliable Shift to avoid the above-mentioned problems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known art, the present invention provides a novel Shift. The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a combination washer and dryer structured and arranged to automatically shift the clean clothes from the washer to the dryer and once dry from the dryer into an attached basket. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description. In one embodiment, there is an automatic clothes washing and drying machine, comprising: a washer, to wash clothes, having: a front door to enable a user to load clothes therein; a side door, to allow washed clothes to exit the washer; and a wet clothes ejector device, to eject the washed clothes from the washer through the side door; a dryer, positioned on a side of the washer, to dry washed clothes, having: a front door to enable a user to unload clothes therefrom; a side door, facing the washer side door, to receive the washed clothes from the washer; a dry clothes ejector device, to eject the dried clothes from the dryer out of the dryer front door; and a container, positioned to receive the dried clothes from the dryer when ejected from the dryer front door. Additionally, the machine may have the side door of the washer and side door of the dryer are automatically opened at approximately the same time when the clothes are completed being washed and are ready to be dried. In yet a further and additional potential embodiment, there is an automatic clothes washing and drying machine, comprising: a washer, to wash clothes, having: a front door to enable a user to load clothes therein; a bottom door, to allow washed clothes to exit the washer; and a wet clothes ejector device, to eject the washed clothes from the washer through the bottom door; a dryer, positioned below of the washer, to dry washed clothes, having: a front door to enable a user to unload clothes therefrom; a top door, facing the washer bottom door, to receive the washed clothes from the washer; a dry clothes ejector device, to eject the dried clothes from the dryer out of a dryer bottom door; and a container, positioned below the dryer, to receive the dried clothes from the dryer when ejected from the dryer bottom door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify various aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof that are illustrated in the appended drawing. It is appreciated that the drawing depicts only illustrated embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGS. 1-2 show front elevational views illustrating a Shift according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a top plan view illustrating the Shift according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The embodiments of the present disclosure described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of the present disclosure. The following embodiments and the accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form part of this disclosure, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the invention are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of the invention can be employed and the subject invention is intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the drawings. As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to combined washer and dryer devices in one unit typically called a shift.

Referring now to all of the figures, but especially to FIGS. 1-2, there is shown a front elevational views illustrating a Shift according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The shift 10 is a side by side washer 20 and dryer 30. The unique features include an automatic door 12, sliding or otherwise, that opens at the side of the washing machine 20, and an automatic door 22 on a side of the dryer 30. When the clothes 38 are done washing, the washing machine's 20 automatic timed door 22 will open thereby depositing the clothing 38 articles into the opened dryer mouth 33. The dryer 30 will then start automatically once its door 32 is closed. Using a clothes ejection apparatus 34, the present invention will finally push your clothing outside the front load door 36 of the dryer 30, releasing your dry clothing 38 into an adjacent basket 50.

Referring now to all of the figures, and especially FIG. 3, there is shown various views illustrating the shift according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The side by side washer 20 and dryer 30, typically known as a shift 10, includes automatic sliding doors 22, 32 that simultaneously open on the right side of the washing machine 20, and the left side of the dryer 30. When clothes 38 are finished washing, the washing machine's automatic timed door 22 will open. A wet clothes ejection apparatus 34, pushing towards the right, will then deposit the clothing articles into the opened dryer mouth 33. The dryer will then start automatically once its door 32 is closed. Using a dry clothes ejector apparatus (not shown) to push the dry clothing outside of the dryer 30 and out of a front load door 39 of the dryer 30, thereby releasing the dry clothing into an adjacent basket 50. In another embodiment, not illustrated, the washer 20 may be mounted above the dryer 30, whereby a bottom sliding door on the washer, and a top sliding door on the dryer will both open and allow the clothes 38 to drop into the dryer. Thus, preventing the necessity of having a user to be present during the transfer of clothing. Similarly, once the clothes are dry, a bottom door on the clothes dryer, illustrated in FIG. 2, may open and drop the clothes into a basket positioned thereinbelow.

The automatic doors are for the purpose of automatically shifting clothes from the washer into the dryer. Both the washing machine and dryer will have front load features for a manual option. The washer and dryer will not open the automatic doors when either feature is in use.

Additionally, it is noted that a skilled artisan will be able to realize many methods for ejecting clothes from the different machines. Specifically, in one embodiment, the internal drums of the washing and drying machines may be tilted. There may be a short conveyor 60 between a side-by-side arrangement. Any other method that is possible is contemplated in the present invention. The ejectors may also be screens positioned under the clothes during cleaning and drying, and are lifted and tilted by a pulley system.

The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. 

What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent as set forth in the appended claim:
 1. An automatic clothes washing and drying machine, comprising: a) a washer, to wash clothes, having: a front door to enable a user to load clothes therein; a side door, to allow washed clothes to exit the washer; and a wet clothes ejector device, to eject the washed clothes from the washer through the side door; b) a dryer, positioned on a side of the washer, to dry washed clothes, having: a front door to enable a user to unload clothes therefrom; a side door, facing the washer side door, to receive the washed clothes from the washer; a dry clothes ejector device, to eject the dried clothes from the dryer out of the dryer front door; and c) a container, positioned to receive the dried clothes from the dryer when ejected from the dryer front door.
 2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the side door of the washer and side door of the dryer are automatically opened at approximately the same time when the clothes are completed being washed and are ready to be dried.
 3. An automatic clothes washing and drying machine, comprising: a) a washer, to wash clothes, having: a front door to enable a user to load clothes therein; a bottom door, to allow washed clothes to exit the washer; and a wet clothes ejector device, to eject the washed clothes from the washer through the bottom door; b) a dryer, positioned below of the washer, to dry washed clothes, having: a front door to enable a user to unload clothes therefrom; a top door, facing the washer bottom door, to receive the washed clothes from the washer; a dry clothes ejector device, to eject the dried clothes from the dryer out of a dryer bottom door; and c) a container, positioned below the dryer, to receive the dried clothes from the dryer when ejected from the dryer bottom door.
 4. The machine of claim 3, wherein the bottom door of the washer and top door of the dryer are automatically opened at approximately the same time when the clothes are completed being washed and are ready to be dried. 